1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a technique for displaying layers extracted from a cross-sectional image of an object.
2. Description of the Related Art
The technique of optical coherence tomography (OCT) is adopted in the medical field. For example, a cross-sectional image pickup apparatus for eyes enables observation of the state of the inside of layers of a retina in a three-dimensional manner. The cross-sectional image pickup apparatus is attracting attention in these years because the cross-sectional image pickup apparatus is useful to properly diagnose diseases.
In the related art of analysis of the layers of a retina, boundaries between the layers of a retina are determined using various methods. In Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2008-073099, a technique is disclosed in which the positions of boundaries between layers are obtained by sequentially referring to the values of pixels of a cross-sectional image in a depth direction. In order for an ophthalmologist to make a diagnosis, it is necessary to recognize each layer included in a retina, and the shape and the thickness of each layer are displayed or each layer is displayed in a three-dimensional manner in a cross-sectional image of the retina. However, if an operator selects, in order to observe the state of each layer after the boundaries between layers of a retina are determined, a layer to be observed from among multiple layers and performs an operation for switching the display, there is a problem in that the operation is complex.